journalists carol simpson moderated it. in fact, she was the first woman to moderate a presidential debate of any kind. she says the town hall format gives voters more of a voice. >> i think it's to let the people ask their questions, and you will find that they are not the questions that we in the press are interested in and ask about. they are very parochial issues like my school and my taxes and my healthcare. >> shepard: tonight's debate expected to last 90 minutes and include a dozen questions from the local audience. friends and family of the late pennsylvania senator arlen specter today gathered in his home state to lay him to rest. the long-time lawmaker died over the weekend after a long battle with non-hodgkin's lymphoma. he was 82 years old, had served three decades in the senate moderate in an increasingly partisan country. among his colleagues playing respects joe biden. after the funeral motorcade escorted senator specter's body to his burial site outside philadelphia. both campaigns rolled out some big guns i